


Nocta

by PaladinofFarore



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/F, First Love, Trans Character, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-09-03 10:33:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8708986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaladinofFarore/pseuds/PaladinofFarore
Summary: Noctis had never felt like a prince. Ever since he was small, he knew deep down, he was a princess. He was she.  For years, she hit it, even from herself. But when circumstance sends her on the road-trip of a lifetime with the three best friends she's ever had, the journey from Prince Noctis to Princess Nocta begins.





	1. Before the Storm

Luna had been the first person he'd told

In the days they'd spent together as kids, he'd never been closer to anyone, not even his father.

They'd been sitting on her bed, playing with the dogs, flipping through old book, conspiring to prank the palace staff, when suddenly their eyes met, and he knew he could tell her anything.

So he told her. A long silence had followed, punctuated only by the sound of the summer wind on the shutters.

“You...feel like you're a girl?” She asked tentatively, face carefully composed

Noctis nodded, staring at the floor

He...she, had always felt that way. Part of her had at least.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I….I….always felt like I wasn't meant to be a prince...that I should've been a princess like you. I've always been jealous of you. How you're hair looks, how you dress..." Tears began to sting at her eyes. “Father always talks about me being a great King someday..I -I can't be King!” 

She choked on countless words she wanted to say. 

Wanted to speak of the nightmare that had been haunting her dreams for weeks now.

It always started the same. With her as she should be, hair long and flowing, body feminine and wrapped in an elegant gown, the Royal ring on her finger, Luna at her side.

Then in an instant everything changed.

Suddenly she was just a boy in a dress made of rags, her hair a poor excuse for a wig.

The people laughed at her, crying all manner of names and slurs. Her father shook his head in shame...and Luna shoved her away…

Her spiraling was interrupted by a pair of soft pale arms wrapping around her.

“There have been queens of Lucis too, you know,” Luna whispered, squieezing tight.

Noctis shuddered, tears still falling.

That was true of course. Though most of the kingdoms monarchs had been men, there were indeed women painter alongside them in the Royal portraits

….but could she really be one them as she was? In a skinny, bony boy's body?

Would anyone accept such a queen?

“....you don't ….think less of me?” She asked in her smallest voice.

“Of course not,” Luna answered, running a hand down Noctis back. “Thank you for telling me. That must've been hard.”

“It was...so hard,” she nearly laughed as the words came out. 

They pulled apart a bit, just enough so that they could see each other's faces. 

“King or queen, I will always stand by you, Noctis,” Luna told her, eyes shimmering with that determination that made Noctis heart swell every time. “I love everything you are, and I'll do whatever I can to help you be what you want.”

Noctis started crying again after that.

Luna started keeping her word much sooner than Noctis would've though. That evening in fact

When everyone had long since gone to sleep and the windows were pitch black, Luna slipped into his room, and with a lot of shaking and the help of the flashlight she carried, jostled her awake.

“Luna wha-” Noctis stammered, still half asleep. “What're you-”

“Come with me,” Luna said in a firm voice that had the prince awake at once

Noctis blinked.

“Ok.”

Taking her by the hand Luna pulled her out of the bedroom and into the dark palace hallway. There were no guards on duty, they must have been changing shifts. 

The light of the flashlight cut a line through the dark, illuminating the fine stone and gold trim that outfitted the corridor. Though not as large as the citadel in Insomnia, the Tenebrae palace was a marvel to look at.

“Luna, where're we going?” Noctis asked. The guards, or one of their family members could find them at any time.

“You'll see. We're almost there.”

She pulled them down a hallway, and, after passing half a dozen doors, she pushed one open.

Noctis recognized it at once, though had never been inside.

It was Luna's dressing room.

The far side of the room opened up onto a balcony, which draped the whole room in pale moonlight. 

Off to one side was a small sitting area, usually for Luna's mother and her ladies on waiting. Of to the other were racks upon racks of clothing, and several large dressers with jam packed drawers.

A privacy screen and a full length mirror stood nearby.

“Luna what's going on?” Noctis asked. With the door closed behind them it was safe not to whisper

“Well…” Luna said, trailing off and blushing a hot pink. “You just mentioned that you were jealous me, how I dressed, how I looked...I just thought you might want to try it….”

Noctis’ jaw dropped, cheeks burning hot as the sun. A thousand thoughts raced and a thousand emotions fluttered like a swarm of insects. Was this a dream? Noctis thought of her dreams, of herself as a tall, elegant queen. She glanced at the racks of fine, feminine clothing and pictured herself wearing them…

...and Luna was supporting her. Not an ounce of malice, contempt of any other negative emotion save a tinge of nervousness shown in the eyes.

“I'd love to.”

“Great!” Luna grinned.

She pulled Noctis to a nearby chair , and, using the various implements in a basket beside it, started to shape her hair.

The black, spiky locks were thick, though they turned whisky towards the tips. Working a brush through it, Luna slowly made the spiked points droop until they fell down across Noctis cheeks, framing her face.

As she worked, Noctis kicked her legs nervously.

She'd slways wanted longer hair, but her father had insisted on a more traditional boys style. Not that the king had any idea how much this had hurt her.

“Ok, done,” Luna said.

Noctis turned to look at the mirror, but Luna stepped in front of it, arms out

“Nope. Not yet. You need to get dressed first. Pick out something you like.”

Standing, Noctis walked into the rows and rows of clothing, nearly in a haze. There were dresses of the finest material, shoes of all shapes, piles of jewelry.This wasn't the first time he'd tried on clothes like this. A year ago, she'd done the same with some of his mothers, though he hadn't had the free rain he had here.

One piece at a time he gathered together a small bundle and vanished behind the privacy screen.

On the other side, Luna waited patiently, clicking the her slippered heels together.

Beneath the screen, she could see Noctis clothes pool at her feet. Shirt, pants, underwear.

She couldn't say that she'd seen any of this coming. She hadn't at all. Yet after a few hours of reflection, and looking into those beautiful year filled eyes, it just felt...right. Beyond question.

Noctis was a girl.

Noctis was Noctis. Nothing would ever change that, not clothes or hair styles not even the physical body. And when she thought about the future she knew they would share together, of the destiny that bound them...it was not a prince who stood at her side.

“Luna?” Noctis called, breaking her from her thoughts. “I… I could use some help.” She sounded terribly embarrassed. 

“Of course,” Luna stood, leaving behind her slippers entirely, and walked to the other side of the screen.

Noctis was dressed in only a simple pair of white panties. They complimented her pale, feminine legs perfectly. 

Face contorted in frustration, she was struggling with the matching training bra

“Here,” Luna said. Sterling forward, she helped herarrange her arms around the straps. Turning her so she was facing away, Luna secured the straps. “There. I had trouble with that too.”

“It's such a pain,” Noctis grumbled, rubbing her arms.

“It is,” Luna agreed. She glanced at his remaining clothes pile. “You want this one?”

She picked up the dress, a pale blue summer dress with the lightest bit of lace at the shoulders and hips. 

Noctis nodded, blushing.

“Good choice. Arms up.”

Shaking slightly, Noctis raised her arms above her head. Luna, standing on the tips of her toes, brought it down, helping her to negotiate the arm and neckholes.

Luna enjoyed helping her dress like this a great deal. She remembered how hard it had been for her at first, putting on fancy gowns and shoes and jewelry she suspected was more about image than any kind of aesthetic. 

That, and it felt like it was part of her duty. Not as oracle, but as a friend.

The skirt settled somewhere around Noctis’ knees, filmy material swaying with the uneasiness of her legs.

She loved the softness of the material, the way it felt on her skin. She moved to step out in front of the mirror, desperate to see how she looked.

This may very well be a dream. But it was one she wanted to remember.

But Luna stopped her. 

“Wait. One more thing.” She vanished into the forest of clothing and returned a moment later with a silvery object in hand. “Close your eyes.” 

Noctis obeyed, and he felt something hard and cool slip over her brow, parting the sides and coming to rest above her ears.

“Perfect,” Luna said, looking pleased. “Go take a look.”

Walking out from behind the screen, Noctis turned towards the mirror.

Her heart nearly stopped.

Standing in its glassy surface, was a pretty, blushing, terrified looking girl. 

Dressed in the blue summer slip, she looked like she could've stepped out of a watercolor painting, with narrow hips, lanky limbs and dainty ankles.

Her hair, done up with a tiara, was parted in a similar fashion to Luna's, framing her face, putting emphasis on her cheeks. 

Noctis felt herself crying again.

Lunas wrapped her arms around her waist from behind, setting her chin on her shoulder.

“You make a beautiful princess, Noct,” she told her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. 

Sobbing, Noctis spun around and embraced her, crying into her pale shoulder. She held her tight, the pair of them swaying in place. They pulled apart, and, moonlight shimmering on them like the eyes of the god, they kiss. It was a quick peck on the lips, chaste, and pure, full of feelings neither of them understood, yet it was a kiss nonetheless. 

They looked at the mirror. Two princesses smiled back at them. 

Noctis had never been happier than in that moment. That night she had seen what her true self looked like, the princess she ached to be. 

The empire changed that. 

Luna and her were ripped apart, and the girl who would one day be called Queen Nocta was forced to become Noctis once again. She was made to be he once again. 

Noctis made the best of it. Made friends that would be with her for life. But she kept her true self hidden. Out of shame, out of fear of rejection, out of many things. 

For a time, at least. 

Destiny would take hold eventually. And destiny would have it's queen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm loving FFXV so far, loving the bromance. But I thought I'd give the story a little twist, change the dynamics a bit and see how Noctis' story would play out if Noctis were trans. I have a few ideas planned for possible future chapters, how she comes out to her friends and father, how the story goes with this change. 
> 
> I have two main ideas for how the story goes. One would have Noctis having already transitioned before the start of the road trip, the other would have her doing so over the course of it. (Yes, I have ideas to deal with the arranged marriage plot point)
> 
> Which would you prefer?


	2. The trip begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Noctis is referred to as "He" for most of this chapter, as that is the pro noun he still goes by for various plot reasons. "She" will start being used more as the story progresses.

It's not a fun experience, being resigned to your fate and your role in the world. To be forced by your surroundings and circumstances to be something you aren't.

Noctis understood that perfectly. Both from being the Royal successor to one of the most powerful thrones in Eos, and by the situation that made him live as “him” at all.

He'd considered telling his father. Luna had encouraged it after their night together, but then, everything had changed.

Noctis’ mother died, killed by a demon while on the road.

Tenebrae fell to the empire, and Luna lived as a captive for more than decade, only managing to slip the occasional note through, carried by one of the dogs.

And then the empire had advanced, forcing King Regis to dedicate himself to maintaining the wall….slowly draining his life away, aging him rapidly.

Any confessions he might have made died on his lips. There was no room in this situation for such desires. There was too much at stake, and such a thing would only further burden a king who already bore a mountains worth.

So, Noctis had remained silent. Longing quietly for a body and a life that he'd been denied. Instead he threw himself into sword training, sparring, learning sword play, mastering what powers he had. 

It wasn't all bad, though. Luna wrote him in her notebook often, delivered by one of the dogs, always writing to "my beloved princess," always referring to him as a girl. 

That, and he had his friends. 

Prompto had been the first real one. The commoner who’d had the audacity to approach the crown prince at school, and with a grin on his face, simply make his acquaintance. Unlike so many others, he wasn’t after anything. Not like the guys who’d tried to get something from him or the girls who’d been trying to woo him. 

Gladio and Ignis had come soon after, members of his household who’d slowly become like brothers to him. With Glad being the protective shield and bodyguard, who had no qualms in beating his scrawny ass in training, and Iggy, the protective hen who mothered them all to some extent. 

They were an odd bunch, but they were his, and they made him feel almost normal. They went out drinking, they went to the arcade, they joked about stupid shit. They gossiped about girls. That in particular made him feel normal. He still liked girls, feeling no attraction whatsoever for any boys.  
And now they were going on a trip across the country, to see him married to Luna. The thought of seeing her again made his heart swell. Maybe with her, pretending wouldn’t feel so terrible.

By then, the changes had already started in his body. He wouldn’t notice until later, he was too distracted by everything going on, but the magic was already at work. It was subtle, but it was powerful.  
Not that he understood the Royal Magic completely at that point. 

They were a few miles out from Insomnia, approaching the desert like, plain region that stretched out for miles outside of it, when Prompto flipped off the radio and turned in his seat. 

“So Noct,” he began wryly. “Excited for your wedding night?”

Noctis blushed. He’d been dreading that question. 

Gladio laughed, but Ignis frowned. 

“That’s hardly appropriate,” the adviser admonished, pushing his glasses up the ridge of his nose. 

“Ah lighten up, Iggy,” said Gladio. “It’s not everyday our boy becomes a man.” He clapped Noctis on the shoulder. “Don’t sweat it Noct. Most girls are used to being let down the first time.”

Gladio and Prompto laughed louder. Noctis felt himself sinking down a bit into his seat. 

“Really though,” Gladio said, tone getting more serious. “Just take it easy. Treat a girl nice and everything’ll go great. Just remember everything your buddy Glad taught ya.”

“What you taught him?” Ignis scoffed. “All you ‘taught him’ was giving him filthy magazines.”

“Yup,” chirped Gladio. “Boy’s gotta learn somewhere.”

“I did appreciate those,” Noctis said with a grin, despite his mixed feelings. "Though I may have ruined some of the pages." 

The porno mags Gladio had slipped him as a teenager had always left him feeling conflicted between to concurrent desires. 

On the one hand, he was a teenager who found girls very, very attractive. The curves, the breasts, the legs, it drove him wild with desire, and had kept him awake many a night, stroking furiously like any desperately horny young person. Followed by a brief sense of elation and then shame. 

On the other….he wanted to be like these women. The large, heavy breasts, the large hips, the round bottoms, the way the few clothes they wore fit them, the hyper femininity of their appearance.

He’d always fantasized about looking like that. Like the girls from school, who after classes were over, would shed their uniforms for tiny shorts and low cut tops, showing so much skin yet being so free and confident about it even as they drew the attention of everyone around them. 

Part of that might be a tinge of exhibitionism, yet it was also a simple desire to be seen. To be seen as female, to be seen as feminine, to be perceived in that way. 

So when he looked at image of a woman, wearing nothing but a thong, hips cocked in just the right way, he didn’t only think of sleeping with her, but if he’d look good like that…

That was part of why he wore panties beneath his jeans. A pink, sheer pair that felt soft and smooth against his skin. It was a private gesture to himself...herself. 

“Glad to hear it,” said Gladio, pulling Noctis back to reality. “We all get lonely when we’re young. I’m sure Iggy here did the same thing.” 

“I certainly did not!” Ignis said indignantly, hands shifting on the wheel. “I was far too focused on my duties for such things.” 

“You got a duty to yourself too buddy,” quipped Prompto, and the three passengers laughed as Ignis seethed. 

This was wonderful. Even when he was feeling the lowest, it was these three, his brothers in his arms that made him feel good again. Made him feel like a normal person. 

But he couldn't help but wonder...would they accept her? Would they reject him? Would everything change if he went from a young man wearing all black jeans and jackets, to a girl in skirts and shorts? Would they still spar with him, fight alongside him?

He pushed such thoughts down for the time being. There was no point in thinking about it now. 

“We should about getting some action too, Iggy,” said Gladio. “Three of us should go check out a few bars in Altissia. Find some girls of our own while Noct here sees to the Lady Lunafreya.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Prompto. “And even when they inevitably spit in my face at least I can get some good pictures.”

“That’s the spirit!” Gladio reached over the seat and clapped the slender man on the back. Ignis just shook his head, though he was smiling. He turned back to Noctis. “Oh and before I forget, make sure to go down on her. Be a gentleman. They call it the ‘Lord's Kiss’ for a reason.”

The gaggle of laughter, blushing and Ignis protests were cut short when the Regalia hit a jagged rock on the road and spun out. 

An hour later, they were pushing it down the highway for five miles. 

Noctis took off his jacket and tied it around his waist. Sweat dribbled down his body, soaking the fabric of his clothes. In retrospect, they probably shouldn’t have worn all black. He leaned heavily against the Regalia’s bumper. His chest ached, a strange ache that tingled down his arms and legs. 

“Sure there’s no way to get a tow?” he groaned. 

“None!” Ignis called back from the front of the car. “Reception here is terrible. Hammerhead is only another quarter mile.” 

Noctis groaned, and threw himself back against the bumper. They all gave out various moans of exhaustion as they went, except Gladio, who was built like a pack animal. 

It was well past noon when they finally managed to get the car to the hammerhead workshop. It was there they were met not by Cid, the legendary mechanic and friend of the king, but by his granddaughter Cindy, who had all four their laws on the floor the moment she appeared. They got a hold of themselves quickly. It helped that she was a lovely person, and a mechanic to boot 

Later that night, they decided to make camp at a nearby Haven ten minutes walk from Hammerhead. They didn’t have the coin to afford a place to stay, seeing as whatever funds they earned from various hunting contracts would have to go towards fixing the car. 

They’d need ever gil they could get. 

They set up camp as the sun set, pitching the tent against a thick outcropping of rocks, with a firepit fueled by the mana flowing from the Havens center. Food reserves were low, so Ignis made a simple dish of stewed rice with a few vegetables thrown in. It was far blander than his usual dishes, but he made the best of what he had. 

The four of them sat around in lawn chairs as they ate, all exhausted. 

In the distance, the chattering of demons could be heard as they hunted for prey, and squabbled with each other. 

“So,” Prompto said after swallowing a particularly huge mouthful of rice. “What's the plan for tomorrow?” 

“We should focus on hunting,” said Ignis, chopsticks head perfectly straight between two fingers. “If we can complete a few contracts, we should have enough to pay the charges within a day or two.”

“Right,” Gladio agreed. “Sucks we’re stuck here for a bit, but I don’t mind getting a chance to do some fighting. I hate sitting around for so long.”

“Me too,” Noctis said, leaning back in the chair and closing his eyes. 

“And hey, this way, I’ve got a chance to ask Cindy out!” said Prompto, face as bright as the campfire. 

“She’s out of your league,” Noctis said bluntly, eyes still shut.

“Harsh,” said Prompto, feigning hurt. He was still grinning. 

“Doesn’t make it any less true.” 

“Why do you say that?”

“Because,” Ignis said, standing to gather the dinner dishes. “Miss Aurem seems like a lady with standards.”

“Hey! I’m a classy guy!” Prompto blurted indignantly, arms flailing outward. 

Gladio patted him on the knee. 

“You keep telling yourself that, buddy. Even my brat sister wouldn’t go out with you.”

“Yeah,” Noctis smiled, “and Cindy’s way hotter than Iris anyway. Her ass is way nicer.” It really was. Iris was pretty, but she was a stick. Few curves. 

Gladio grunted, though not maliciously. 

“Make jokes like that and I may have to start considering regicide.”

“Worth it.”

Their back and forth continued late into the night, when the moon was high and full in the night sky. Unlike in Insomnia, the stars could be seen clearly from here, salting the blackness. Eventually, when the campfire started to die out, Ignis stood and took his motherly stance, hands on hips. 

“Alright then, time for bed he said. We’ve got to be up bright and early.”

They nodded sleepily and rose from their chairs, moving towards the tent. Ignis stopped Noctis by the shoulder. 

“You need to change first, Noctis,” he gestured to his dirt caked jeans and filthy shirt. “We don’t need that in the tent.” 

“Fine, fine,” he said sleepily. “Be right back.” 

He grabbed his spare set of clothes climbed down off the Haven, the magic would repel demons up to about fifty feet around it’s perimeter, and walked around the rocky outcrop. Glancing around briefly to make sure he was alone, he slipped off his shirt and shimmied out of his jeans, leaving him standing there in nothing but panties. 

It was stupid and risky, but he couldn’t help but examine himself. 

His legs were slender and feminine, mostly hairless above the knee though decently muscled. No one saw him in any state of undress often enough for it to matter, so he’d shaved there frequently, keeping himself smooth. The panties felt wonderful on his skin, and he loved the way they cupped his bottom. They didn’t quiet work on his hips, too bony, but their value was more psychological than aesthetic. They made him feel a certain way. 

The only thing he disliked about them was the slight bulge across the front that indicated his penis. It was admittedly small, but he still disliked it. It was functional, he didn’t necessarily dislike the physical aspects of it, but it served as a bitter reminder.  
In moments like this, he longed more than ever to see Luna again, to relive that night years ago when she’d help him dress. 

Not just to wear clothes like that again...but to be with someone who knew and understood. Maybe on their wedding night....

He was so caught up in his ruminations that he didn’t hear Ignis approach, flashlight in hand. 

“Noctis? What’s taking you so-” he froze, and so did Noctis. 

Ignis’ eyes widened, and an expression of pure terror took hold of his face. 

"Noctis, what's-"

"Please don't tell anyone!" Noctis blurted, desperately trying to cover himself with his arms. It didn't do any good. The pink of his panties seemed to shine brighter in the flashlight, like a spotlight, mocking him. Scrambling, he threw on his fresh set of clothes, nearly tripping. 

"Noctis," Ignis said again, firmly but confused. "What's going on?"

Noctis said nothing, staring at the ground, clutching his fists. What could he say?

"I-I it's nothing," he said. "Forget about it."

"It's obviously not nothing," said Ignis carefully, "if you're reaction is anything to go by. Take a deep breath, Noctis."

Reluctantly, Noctis inhaled. His body ached, adrenaline and fear pulsing through him. 

"I don't want to talk about it," he whispered. 

For a moment, Ignis just stood there, contemplating, before nodding. 

"Very well," he turned back towards the campsite. "If that is your decision, very well. Just know that if you wish to speak of it, my ear is yours. Please return to camp soon. You need your rest." 

With that he turned and walked away, leaving Noctis in the dark. Before too long, he followed, shaking.


	9. Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, I wanted to start building a grander story. I brought in elements of Fabula Nova Chrystalis, and rearranged some of the mythology a bit. Loved the game, the story had a bunch of holes. I aim to fix that, and give the supporting cast, especially the ladies. 
> 
> Also, just to reiterate, Noctis goes by he/him and Noctis instead of Nocta and her/she throughout large parts of this chapter because that's what they identify as publicly. As the story progresses Nocta will transition completely and switch pronouns. A big part of this story will revolve around starting to live as female, bonding with other girls, bonding with the guys, adjusting to changes etc.

Luna walked shakily down the torn, mostly destroyed street leading out of Insomnia. 

Having discarded her white dress for a pair of jeans, a tank top, and a purple hoodie, she fit in quite nicely with the crowd of refugees that filed out of the city. High above, Imperial drop ships hovered, ready to either deploy more of their mechanical soldiers, or rain down hellfire. Not that the demons had left a great deal left to destroy. 

The Citadel was in ruins, and the greater downtown area wasn’t much better. 

Burying her hands in her front pocket, Luna lowered her head. They’d already began announcing her death to the world over the radio. For the time being, she could use that to her advantage, so long as she wasn’t recognized. 

Between her fingers, she cradled the ring of the Luccii, the last hope of the world. 

If she could get it to Nocta in time. 

Her thoughts drifted to Nocta, her secret princess.

Right now, she’d be driving to their wedding, not knowing that the empire had moved her here for the treaty. She would think her dead, for a time, if she was listening to the broadcasts. Hopefully, once she got out of the city, she’d be able to summon one of the dogs and get a message to her. 

Despite herself, she glanced back at the ruins of the citadel, where, a mile beneath it lay, the body of King Regis. She’d always cared for the man. He’d always been kind to her...but the real heartache came from the fact that he’d passed before he could learn that his son was a daughter. 

Regis would have accepted her. She was sure of it. He’d have been shocked, but he was always a kind hearted man, who loved his child more than anything. 

And now...Nocta would never get that closure. Would never get to call herself “Nocta” before her only living parents. 

Shaking her head, Luna quickened her step. The time for grief would come later. Now, she had to get out of the city. 

The work of the gods could not be set aside for the sake of personal feelings. Even when the two were so irrevocably linked. 

As she approached the gate, the crowd slowed, the line of people splitting to navigate around a pileup of burned out cars. 

“Lady Lunafreya?” 

Had she no self control, she’d have snapped to attention, a dead giveaway. The empire would be looking for her. Instead, she slowly turned her head.

Beside her strode a tall woman with light pink hair and stoic, determined face. She wore a long, silvery coat that trailed out behind her, and a red scarf encircled her neck. Her steely eyes narrowed. 

“You are the Lady Lunafreya, aren’t you?” 

“And if I am?” she whispered back, still looking forward.

“Then I was sent to help you. The Goddess sends her regards.” 

That nearly made Luna freeze. Maintaining her composure, she walked alongside the woman for a good three miles, passing out of the gates and onto the roads outside the city that spiraled outwards into the highway system. The sun was much higher in the sky now, shining light over everything. 

The pair circled the first gas station they came to, which was crowded with refugees, desperately trying to fix their cars or get calls out to relatives elsewhere. 

Soon, they were alone in an alleyway, with only a dumpster and various litter for company. 

Luna glanced out of the alley, seeing only the forms of the crowd milling about in the parking lot. 

She turned to the woman. 

“Who are you?” She didn’t look like she was from the empire. Her skin was too pale, and that shade of hair was far too exotic, so much so that she’d never seen it before. Was she from the mountains to the east?

The woman didn’t answer at first, instead she simply looked at her, eyes flashing up and down. 

“You aren’t quite what I expected, Oracle,” she said in a clipped tone. “I was expecting someone much older.”

“You aren’t the first to tell me that,” Luna said through clenched teeth. “Nor are you the first person to waste my time. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

She turned on her heel to leave, ready to use the knife strapped to her leg if necessary. 

“My name is Lightning Farron,” the woman said. “And the goddess Etro sent me.” 

Luna stopped. Slowly, she turned back. 

“...The Goddess sent you?” 

The woman nodded. 

“She sent me to find and guard you. You, and the queen to be.”

The Queen to Be. That phrase alone was enough to convince her. They’d never told anyone about Nocta’s secret. The great goddess worked in mysterious ways, as the oracle, she understood that better than anyone. 

Since she was a child, she’d visions of that strange, feminine form veiled in crystal. Reaching a hand out to her. That voice had never spoken mistruths to her. 

“How?”

The woman laughed, a bit raspy, as if it were a rare occurrence. 

“By being a manipulative old bitch, that’s how,” she glanced up at the sliver of sky that could be seen between the rooftops. “Well intentioned as she is, she uses people. You and the queen will learn that soon enough….where is she, by the way? I was shown a vision of a black haired young woman with a spectral sword.”

Definitely Nocta. 

Luna closed her eyes. Of all the things the gods to send her, a bodyguard certainly wasn’t what she expected. No matter. She would make due. 

“We’ll be going to find her. What are your skills?”

The woman smirked.

“I’m versatile.” 

A bright, red and blue aura burst into life around her. Opening her jacket, she revealed a large, folded gun-blade tucked into her belt. 

Luna nodded. That would do quite nicely. 

“Very good. Can you drive a car? We need to hit the road.”

The woman nodded, and the pair of them exited the alleyway, the path of the goddess laid out before them. 

()()()

True to his word, Ignis didn’t say anything about the late night encounter to the others. But that didn’t stop Noctis from being paranoid about it. He tried his best not to let it show on his face, but from the glances his advisor sent him, he knew that he noticed. He would have stopped wearing panties entirely...had he packed any other underwear. On top of that, there were no clothing stores that fell on this side of the barricades. 

He would just have to make due for a time. 

The next few days passed with the quartet travelling about the plains hunting down monsters for cash. It wasn’t difficult, at least not most of the time, and it have the four of them a good excuse to use their combat skills. 

Despite being heavily trained, they’d rarely had an opportunity to actually use their skills, seeing as three of them were high ranking nobles usually kept out of combat, and Prompto was a commoner not associated with the military 

That, and hunting was fun. It took them all over the region that wasn't blocked by the empires barricade. They got to see the sites, and they got to spend time with each other without the burden of responsibility.

It was a great time, just shooting the shot with the guys. Camping out, fighting, just being, even if Noctis still felt uneasy.

One night the four of them went to one of the diners dotting the road ways. Ignis’ cooking was wonderful, but they were low on both supplies and energy, so eating out was the way to go for the evening. 

Her work completed for the day, Cindy had decided to join them. The four of them had taken quite quickly to the mechanic girl, and not just because she was gorgeous. She was easy going, knew the area, and more than willing to pal around with a bunch of losers in a car. 

“Well how could I say no?” she said of their invitation. “In a girl this pretty, I couldn’t resist!” she tapped the side of the Regalia fondly. Then again, she seemed to like the car a bit more than she liked them. 

On that particular night, Noctis was driving. The streetlights had already come on, so they would be staying at the motel across the street to avoid the demons. At least the place was dirt cheap. 

“How is the food hear?” asked Ignis, adjusting his glasses as they pulled in. 

“Oh it’s great,” said Cindy from the back. “Donny cooks a mean burger. Me and Paw Paw used to have em every week before his blood pressure got to him.” 

“Good,” said Gladio, rubbing his belly. “Been a while since I had a good burger. No offense Iggy but burgers aren’t your forte.” 

“None taken,” said Ignis. “I’d never taken much time with them anyway. They’re best left to the professionals.”

“You guys eat out a lot while on the road?” Cindey asked. Instead of her usual shorts and jacket, she instead wore a lowcut blouse and a short skirt that showed off plenty of cream colored thigh. 

“Not really,” Noctis said, turning the wheel, it felt a bit stiff, tugging to one side. “Only when Ignis doesn’t cook.”

“Oh, a chef, are ya?” 

“In my spare time, yes,” said Ignis. “Though I’m far from a master.” 

“Don’t be so modest Iggy,” said Prompto. In his seat, he made noticeable attempts to shift closer to Cindy, doing his best to hide the discomfort in his crotch. Cindy didn’t seem to mind. “You’re cooking make my mom’s look like crap, and she’s the best cook ever...when she cooks at least.” 

“Well I’ll have to try that sometime, Ignis. Maybe I should joing you around the campfire one of these evenin’s.”

“We’d be glad to have you,” said Noctis. 

“Yeah,” said Gladio. “You’re certainly better company these guys.” 

“You seem like good company there yourself, big fella.” 

Noctis rolled his eyes. Prompto hadn’t noticed, he was too dense, but those two had been flirting all night. It wouldn’t be surprising at if the two of them were going at it by the end of the night. Gladio wasn’t really the relationship type, and Cindy didn’t seem to be either. The two of them would fuck then laugh about it later. 

The car fully parked, Noctis stepped out of the car and glanced down. Ah, there was the problem. 

“You guys go on in, I’m gonna fill the tire before I forget.” 

“Alright, mind if we order for ya?” asked Prompto, sliding out of the car with exaggerated posture. 

“Go ahead,” Noctis said. “You know what I like.” 

While his friends made their way towards the diner Noctis circled around to the trunk and got out the electric air pump. This had been a good investment. The Regalia was a high class car, but it’s tires were hardly made for desert driving. 

Walking back to the front tire, he set down the pump and leaned down, hooking up the tube. He leaned in to hit the button when-

He felt something snap at his waist.

“That color looks good on you.”

Bewildered, he spun around to see Cindy, hands on hips, grinning. Face crimson, mortified, he looked down. The waistband of his blue panties had slipped up above his hips and was clearly visible. She had snapped the waistband. 

“I was just coming back to get my purse, didn’t want you boys to have to pay for me, when I see that cute little butt of yours in the air, I couldn’t resist.” She laughed. “Don’t look so embarrassed, I don’t judge. That underwear looks good on you. You have much too nice a butt for boxers. If you ever need any spare panties let me know. I don’t mind sharing.” 

She gave him a smile, pulling playfully at the string of the red thong that was nearly always visible on her hips, no matter what she wore. Then she grabbed her purse and disappeared into the diner.

Red as fire, Noctis filled the tire with air as calmly as he could, then replaced the pump and entered the diner. Cindy...wouldn’t say anything, would she?

It didn't seem like she would. For the rest of the night, everything seemed normal. They ordered an enormous pile of burgers and fries which they devoured like wild animals. Even Cindy ate her fair share, stuffing her face with no mind for manners. 

“I’m not some stick thin city girl!” she declared boldly, grease dripping down her chin and onto her exposed chest. Just like with motor oil, she seemed to care little about getting herself dirty. 

Prompto was the first to tap out. 

“Not to be a wimp, guys, but I had enough trouble losing weight the first time. Not gonna do that again.” 

“You can always burn it off hunting,” Noctis pointed out, mouth half full of fries. “We’re always on the move.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Prompto said, crossing his arms behind his head. “I’d rather not risk it. Besides, I’m done eating, I’ve got some things to do.” He grinned stupidly and rose from his seat. With a horrible swagger in his steps, he approached a group of girls around the pinball machines and began his embarrassing attempt at chatting them up.

They did laugh a few times though. 

After a while, a few beers in their system, Gladio and Cindy wandered off somewhere, probably for a quickie somewhere. Noctis couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the thought of it, but at least they were having a good time. 

That left him alone with Ignis, sitting across from one another in the booth. The diner smelled of grease, salt and people, the perfect smell for a restaraunt. 

“He’s having more luck than I thought he would,” the adviser commented, indicating Prompto. The girls were actually smiling, and the spiky haired blonde was obviously having a great time. 

“Yeah, he is,” Noctis said slowly. “Usually he crashes and burns by now. Gets a slap or two.” Ignis nodded. 

“He seems to like that part.” the pair chuckled awkwardly. They hadn’t exchanged many words since that night. 

A few moments passed, the two of them looking from side to side, glancing at Prompto, pretending to look at the menu above the counter. 

“Noctis,” Ignis began diplomatically. “I’d like to apologize for the other night. You have every right to your privacy. I should’ve been more aware.” 

“Don’t be, Ig,” said Noctis quietly. Really there was nothing for him to be sorry about. 

“My offer stands, however, if you need to talk.” Noctis nearly sighed. Both at Ignis and at himself. The bespectacled man had always mothered him. He’d never mentioned it, but he appreciated it greatly. His mother’s death had effected him in ways he couldn’t comprehend, and it was good to have someone there who wanted to listen. 

….would he listen.

“I don’t know…” he said, unsure. 

“Just a thought,” Ignis assured him. “No pressure of any kind. Just know that I am here.”

“....can you keep a secret?” it came out as a whisper. Ignis’ eyebrow shot about the ridge of his glasses. 

“My prince,” he said wryly, “I’ve been keeping secrets for you for years. Had your father know the state you kept your apartment, he’d have dragged you back to the palace in an instant. However, he never heard a thing. Your secrets are safe with me.” 

Noctis paused. Hands shaking. 

“I’m...I’m a girl, Ignis.” The words came out far easier than expected. 

No earthquake shook the earth, no hurricane threatened to sweep in and wipe everything away. The words just came out. And it felt good to see them. 

“....I see,” said Ignis, carefully. There was no malice in his voice or expression, just confusion. “Is this a….recent development?”

“No. I’ve felt like that a long time….just couldn’t say it until now.”

“I understand,” said Ignis. “Or at least...I empathize. I can’t say I understand completely, but “

“I get it,” Noctis said, smiling hopefully. “Thanks, Iggy.”

His friend nodded. Maybe….her friend too?

“Of course, Noctis. If there is anyway I can help at all, please do ask,” he glanced over at Prompto, who was racking up scores on the pinball machine. “The others as well. Did you really think that you couldn’t trust us, of all people?”

“I-” Noctis didn’t know. He did trust them. More than anyone. Yet that fear was a like a toxin in the blood, bubbling to the surface everytime the thought occured. 

“We are your brothers in arms, Noctis,” Ignis said firmly. “Don’t think for a moment we would scoff at a sister. They may very well feel surprised, perhaps even hurt at not being told. But to reject you outright? Never. We'd never be so petty as to abandon a friend in their time of need.”

Noctis felt like crying.

“However,” Ignis continued. “I would encourage you to tell them eventually. I won't say a word, of course, but it would be”

“Noctis!” 

Gladio came sprinting back into the diner, hair messy, torso bare. Cindy followed right behind him, pulling on her blouse as she ran.

“What?! What is it?!” Noctis sprang to his feet, alarmed. 

“Cor called,” Gladio said grimly. “The empire betrayed us….insomnia has fallen.”

()()()()

When Noctis saw the fallen Insomnia, smoke rising from ruined buildings and the airships of the empire soaring high above it, it hit him hard.

He practically stumbled backwards, hand clenching at his chest. The aches in his body become more and more evident, working their way across chest, arms, pelvis until he could barely breath.

The cuts he'd received from the hordes of mechanical soldiers in the mountain corridor leading to the plateau weren't closing properly, his magic usually took care of them, and he suddenly felt very, very small.

He felt like he was shrinking in height, like his entire form was narrowing.

And when he grasped his fingers to call his blade, it wouldn't come, just a poof of translucent smoke that vanished after a moment. 

Then, over the phone Cor had confirmed the death of his father, and Noctis collapsed.

He didn't even hear his friends call out to him as he hit the hard rock. 

()()()

Noctis dreamed. And in dream, Noctis was Nocta. 

She floated in an endless abyss, an ever shifting sea of blue-white mist that coiled around her body in great tendrils. Sound, like the muffled rumbles of great leviathans in the deep, echoed around her, shaking her, boring into her ears. 

Thunder cracked, and lightning, red and green and blue and violet, flashed through the void. 

Nocta’s eyes fluttered, and part of her thought she saw an icy woman throw herself against an endless, ever encroaching blackness.

And then suddenly, everything changed. 

She stood in a finely furnished palace chamber. Gold embroidery trimmed the walls and fine ornaments decorated the various tables. 

In a haze, she stumbled forward, steps uneasy, mind in a cloud. 

She was only dimly aware of the fact that she was completely nude...she passed a mirror, and stopped, and gaped at herself. 

In place of the awkward, lanky boy she’d always been was a woman, body full and feminine. Modestly sized breasts, peaked in pale nipples had replaced slender pecs, long hair fell draped down her shoulders 

Her hips had widened them, and between them, in place of her male member was a pale pink slit, with a dusting of hair covering the area above it. All she could do was stare. For an eternity, she stood there, looking at herself. 

Dreamily, she turned, looking at her newly curved body. She smiled wistfully. This was obviously a dream. Mist seemed to pull at the edges of her vision, like a fog creeping into a rainy day. 

Yet she didn’t care. She could exist here forever, just like this. 

“Oh my queen?” called a sing song voice. “Aren’t you coming to bed?”

Slowly, Nocta turned. 

Behind her was a large four poster bed with black and silver hangings pulled aside. Atop it’s sheets lay Luna, entirely bare apart from the golden necklace that encircled her neck. Her golden blonde hair fell about her shoulders like a curtain, and a dazzling smile played across her both her eyes and her lips. 

“Aren’t you coming to bed, my queen?” she asked again with a sultry smile. 

Smiling bright as the sun, Nocta half stumbled onto the bed. Crawling forward, she embraced the pale skinned princess, and kissed her, roughly. Their lips smashed together in a torrent of passion. Their breasts pushed together, their legs tangled, their hips bucked in a storm of eroticism. Nocta found herself on her back, legs spread wide. 

Luna smiled down at her, pinning her. She trailed a nail down Nocta's thigh, raising goose-flesh. This had been a dream Nocta had had before. Laying there, like a bride.

"You're so beautiful like this, exposed, vulnerable, delicious," Luna whispered. her voice was otherworldly...like Luna, but not quite. Her eyes were filled with lust, like fire. 

That fire became pools of pitch black, oozing down her cheeks in rancid trails that were toxic to behold. 

The mist broke through, Luna vanished, and suddenly Nocta was falling, screaming as she went. 

She landed, or rather, she reappeared, in a dark, narrow hallway. 

Dizzily, she began to walk again. Now she was a garbed in a flowing black dress that fell nearly to the floor. Her sword was in her hand, fingers barely clasped around the hilt. 

She was tired, confused. 

Eventually the corridor opened up into a room she found very familiar. The throne room in Insomnia. The jet black architecture was twice as domineering in dream as it was in the waking world, the throne twice as high.

The throne, where her father had bid her farewell, sending her off to marry Luna. 

“Are you worthy?”

A man draped in black appeared on the throne, one leg crossed over the other. Darkness itself seemed to surround him, only brilliant white teeth curled into a smirk showed through the veil of shadows. 

“Are you worthy, little boy queen?” His voice was like oily silk, vile and smooth all at once. “Are you worthy to wield the power that no human could ever be worthy of wielding? The astrals look to you for a savior, even as they weep for their mother….The Oracle runs your errands, squandering her own might in your name...are you worthy, boy?” he spat the last word and vanished, dissipating like black smoke into the air. 

The throne room grew dark, the ethereal light that had poured from the windows high above disappearing. The room became a shadow. Then the room become pure emptiness. 

An eternity passed in the nothingness...and then a light was born. 

A woman appear, hair flowing down to the floor, entwined with glowing chunks of crystal. Her gown was the night, and it was speckled like the starry night. 

Another woman appeared from nowhere, kneeling before the first. She wore shining armor, and carried a slender blade, tip to the floor, face looking downward. Her pink hair was pulled back in a tight braid, the mark of a solider. 

“Great goddess, I will carry on your legacy,” she said in a breathy whisper, almost desperate. She held out her hand in genuflection, as if asking for a blessing. 

The woman standing above her smiled, accepting the hand. 

She turned to Nocta, and in this eyes, like shining crystals, Nocta saw eternity. 

She saw the pink haired warrior woman locked in combat with a woman with dark hair, mid flight as the pair tore through a city, magic erupting around them and tearing their surroundings to shreds. 

She saw Ignis, Prompto and Gladio, standing atop a hill beneath a starless night, a horde of demons approaching with teeth bared. 

She saw the gods themselves filling the sky, their battle tearing the fabric of existence to shreds, humanity fleeing like insects below them. 

She saw Luna...weeping tears of blood. 

“Seek the city where women toil,” spoke a voice like silvery water. “Find yourself, o queen. Carry on my legacy.” 

The woman vanished. And Nocta woke up.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm loving FFXV so far, loving the bromance. But I thought I'd give the story a little twist, change the dynamics a bit and see how Noctis' story would play out if Noctis were trans. I have a few ideas planned for possible future chapters, how she comes out to her friends and father, how the story goes with this change. 
> 
> I have two main ideas for how the story goes. One would have Noctis having already transitioned before the start of the road trip, the other would have her doing so over the course of it. (Yes, I have ideas to deal with the arranged marriage plot point)
> 
> Which would you prefer?


End file.
